Film Review: The Devil At 4 O'Clock (1961)

By Tennessee Jed

I recently promised a review of The Devil At 4 O'Clock (1961). Quite honestly, this movie had slipped by my radar until, while eating breakfast at the Pioneer Inn (1901) in the village of Lahaina on Maui, I saw an old movie poster on the wall and it piqued my curiosity.

As it turns out, the inn was used as the hotel in several scenes from the film which also features the harbor, old courthouse, and the banyon tree located nearby. Other scenes included the Io valley and famous "Road to Hanna." Initially, my curiosity centered primarily on recognizing in the film, some of the places where I had just been, particularly considering the amount of changes that took place over the past 50 years. However, I was pleasantly surprised at how much more was going on in this film than merely Hawaiian scenery.

The Review

I am hardly a professional film critic so apologies are offered in advance for lack of a real format. The review merely reflects my own observations and impressions.

The The Devil At 4 O'Clock was produced and directed by Mervyn LeRoy who has either produced or directed such films as Wizard of Oz, Little Caesar, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, and The FBI Story. It may not be the first "disaster" genre movie ever made, but it certainly preceded (and probably inspired) the wave of such films released in the late 60's and 70's including "Airport" and "Poseidon Adventure."

At the time of it's release, it was critically acclaimed, particularly for the special effects. In fact, the shots depicting lava flow were used for a long time in later movies involving volcanic eruptions. It is always difficult to go back in time and view effects without comparing them with today's technology. Still, considering this film is 50 years old, it is worthwhile viewing for anyone just to consider the process of how movies were crafted back then.

The movie also features a cast with major stars Spencer Tracy in one of the last few films of his career, and Frank Sinatra just before his performance in Manchurian Candidate.

Plot

I will try to avoid any spoilers and limit discussion to little more than you might see in a trailer. The movie opens with a plane which is carrying three prisoners to the penitentiary in Tahiti. Another passenger is a young priest who is traveling to replace an older priest (Tracy) at a posting on the fictional island of "Talua," ably portrayed by the real life island of Maui. (I believe it should have been considered for an Oscar for best portrayal of a fictional island by a real island.)

The plane makes an overnight stop at Talua to refuel and drop off the young priest. Father Doonan is a crusty old man who has become cynical and questions his faith, but saves the three prisoners from a sadistic local jailer. The main prisoner, Harry (Sinatra) plays a crusty young man who has become cynical and never had much faith to begin with. Doonan requires the prisoners to travel with him up the slopes of the volcano on the island to do some work at a missionary school he founded for children with Hansen's disease (leprosy.) While there, Harry falls for Camille, a young native woman ably played by Barbara Luna (Marlena in the 1967 Star Trek episode "Mirror, Mirror" among many other t.v. roles.) On the way back to town after completing the work, the volcano begins to behave erratically until . . . . all hell breaks loose. Most of the movie is predictable, but entertaining.

So Was It Any Good?

The movie develops a tad slowly, but eventually hits it's stride. In the old days, writers had to rely more heavily on dialog to fill in back story and develop the characters. The acting is reasonably good. Tracy, plows familiar fields as the priest (see Father Flannigan in 1938's Boy's Town). Sinatra is better than most pop singer icons who graduated to acting. Much like John Wayne or California's 'governator' Sinatra usually had the good sense to not stray too far afield from his own persona.

It is never easy to go back and see older movies without comparing it to today's techniques. Does the film looked dated? Of course, but that is half the fun to see how the craft of movie making has evolved over time. Also, it was a hoot to see many, if not all of the now familiar character and plot devices so familiar to the "disaster" genre.

But Wait, There's More

Yes, this movie has something of a twist! And, it actually attempts to deal with some larger and more idealistic themes, none of which I will reveal here.

As you watch this film, let me leave you with a some questions to consider:

1) How does this movie treat faith and religion? What would it's message be today? Would it even get made?

2) In the end, who really saves whom?

3) Do you consider this a "happy" ending? Is it sad or ultimately uplifting? Did they have focus groups in the 60's to "test" the best liked ending? (l.o.l.)

4) Does the representation of the French represent an over the top cliche?